Youngsters to be quizzed on narcotic abuse

The National Drug Council is seeking 80 volunteers for an April survey of drug use among Cayman Islands middle and high school students, hoping to track the extent of abuse of a variety of substances.

The survey, dubbed The Cayman Islands Student Drug Use Survey (CISDUS) 2012, is the sixth by the council, and will probe patterns and types of drug, alcohol and tobacco use among students roughly 12 years old to 19 years old, feeding the results to “the public and private sector including, but not limited to; government officials, local organisations, special interest groups, and various regional bodies to guide discussions, strategic plans and policies,” according to a council press release.

Volunteers will do much of the work in school classrooms around the islands, administering questionnaires for one-and-a-half hours during the weeks of 23 April to 4 May in morning and afternoon sessions.

The four-point survey, according to drug council statement, proposes “to gain a better understanding of drug use among middle and high students in the Cayman Islands; provide a fundamental opportunity for schools, community, private and public entities” to create policies that will address youth problems, while continuing current prevention programmes and, finally, tracking changes in patterns of alcohol and drug abuse.

The results are likely to point towards widespread, regular use of ganja among students, and an increasing consumption of cocaine.

Alcohol is commonly used among older teenagers, while the survey is likely to fuel debate about Cayman’s 18-year-old drinking age and the relatively easy availability of both beer and rum.

Anticipating problems that may be peculiar to various districts in the Cayman Islands, the survey will examine geographical variations in patterns of abuse. Cayman Brac, for example, has long battled problems of alcohol consumption by young people, while West Bay confronts sales and consumption of a variety of contraband.

”Moreover,” the council statement said, “CISDUS allows for comprehensive planning of prevention initiatives by indicating the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use, the rise of drug abuse, and the distribution of use across all geographic areas of the island.

The survey will also seek information about conditions in each school.

“In addition, the survey collects information about school climate, safety, and important contributing factors to youth-risk behaviours that can impede learning,” the statement said.

“This information is valuable to the country, communities, and schools in targeting prevention initiatives,” the statement said.

Joan West-Dacres council executive director, explained the importance of the data in monitoring shifting sentiments and patterns of abuse, enabling planners to anticipate – and plan for – emerging trends.

“Having reliable and consistent data allows the development of programming in line with the community’s needs,” she said.

“Our ongoing monitoring through this survey provides our stakeholders with information that would not otherwise be available as we seek to reduce the negative impacts of alcohol and other drugs. We are pleased that so many organisations have been utilising the data to help strengthen their programming,” she said, underscoring the importance of community involvement in the effort.

The council encourages anyone wishing to volunteer for the survey to call 949-9000 or email [email protected].